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auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn makes one change to depth chart for game against Arkansas JD McCarthy ~4 minutes Auburn is looking to pick up its third straight win and its second on the road when they face the Arkansas Razorbacks this Saturday. The Tigers announced their depth chart for the game on Monday and there was just one change from last week’s edition, Austin Keys is now listed as the only starter at middle linebacker. He was listed as a co-starter with Larry Nixon III last week as he returned from injury. Keys started and played 42 snaps in Auburn’s win over Vanderbilt, making three tackles, one sack and forcing one fumble. Nixon played 22 snaps and did not record a stat. Here is a look at Auburn’s full depth chart. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Starter: Payton Thorne Backups: Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Starter: Jarquez Hunter Backups: Damari Alston, Brian Battie, Jeremiah Cobb © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK Starter: Rivaldo Fairweather OR Luke Deal Backups: Tyler Fromm OR Brandon Frazier, Micah Riley Photo by Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers Starter: Jyaire Shorter OR Omari Kelly Backup: Koy Moore Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Starter: Jay Fair OR Ja’Varrius Johnson Backup: Caleb Burton III Photo by Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers Starter: Shane Hooks Backups: Camden Brown OR Nick Mardner Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports Starter: Dillon Wade Backup: Jaden Muskrat Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports Starter: Gunner Britton Backup: Tate Johnson Zach Bland/Auburn Athletics Starter: Avery Jones OR Connor Lew Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports Starter: Kam Stutts Backup: Jeremiah Wright OR Jalil Irvin Photo by Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers Starter: Izavion Miller Backup: Jaden Muskrat Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Starter: Keldric Faulk Backups: Zykevious Walker Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Starter: Justin Rogers Backup: Jayson Jones Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Starter: Marcus Harris Backup: Lawrence Johnson © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK Starter: Jalen McLeod Backups: Elijah McAllister, Stephen Sings V Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Starter: Austin Keys Backups: Larry Nixon III, Wesley Steiner © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK Starter: Eugene Asante Backup: Cam Riley John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Starter: D.J. James Backup: Kayin Lee OR Colton Hood Photo by Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers Starter: Keionte Scott Backup: Donovan Kaufman, Champ Anthony (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) Starter: Jaylin Simpson Backup: Caleb Wooden, Griffin Speaks (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) Starter: Zion Puckett Backups: Marquise Gilbert, Terrance Love Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports Starter: Nehemiah Pritchett Backups: J.D. Rhym Photo by Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers Starter: Keionte Scott OR Koy Moore (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) Starters: Brian Battie, Jarquez Hunter Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports Punter: Oscar Chapman Place Kicker: Alex McPherson Holder: Oscar Chapman Long Snapper: Reed Hughes OR Jacob Quattlebaum

al.com How a Tom Brady quote is helping Payton Thorne avoid complacency in Auburn’s QB room Published: Nov. 06, 2023, 3:07 p.m. 4–5 minutes Hugh Freeze on Auburn's bowl chances, trip to Arkansas Last week Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne wore a shirt to issue his endorsement of Michael Jordan being the best player in the history of the NBA. On Monday, he called seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady the “greatest player of all time.” And it’s for that reason the junior Michigan State transfer quarterback has looked to Brady for inspiration as he enters the homestretch of his first season on The Plains. “I’ve drawn back to something that Tom Brady said a while ago and I don’t know the exact quote, but he talked about, you know, he had won however many Super Bowls in his career, and he talked about how he still goes out and feels like he has something to prove every day and that his job is still up in the air,” Thorne said Monday. Thorne turning to Brady’s quote comes after a whirlwind-of-a-season that’s seen him be named Auburn’s starter in August, be on the receiving end of plenty of criticism and share snaps with backup quarterback Robby Ashford – all before finally reasserting himself as Auburn’s starting quarterback these past two weeks. And Thorne has settled in since cementing himself as the Tigers’ main guy. “I’d be lying to you if I said it didn’t feel better,” Thorne said of not having to be a part of a two-man quarterback rotation with Ashford. In Auburn’s last two games against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, Thorne has graded well as the Tigers’ No. 1 quarterback. Thorne has combined to go 37-of-53 through the air in his last two games, good for 424 yards, five touchdowns and an interception. “I believe Payton’s skillsets are the most prepared for what we’re doing,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said Monday. “It’s not a negative towards anybody else, I think he’s — you talk about playing with tempo, setting our protections, throwing accuracy with footballs and understanding coverages, I think that he’s the farthest along in that.” That said, as evident by him turning to Brady’s quote, Thorne isn’t getting too comfortable. And based on some of Freeze’s comments on Monday morning, perhaps he shouldn’t. After addressing what has led to Thorne becoming the lone keyholder of the Auburn offense, Freeze went on brief – but sudden and unprompted – rant about redshirt freshman quarterback Holden Geriner, who has long been regarded as the most “natural passer” in Auburn’s quarterback room. “I think Holden had one heck of a week last week and he can really spin it,” Freeze said. “He’s probably one that — I think he’s got a bright future.” Thorne said Monday that Geriner, who happens to be his roommate during road games, did receive a larger share of reps in practice last week. When asked what prompted that, however, Thorne deferred the question over to the coaching staff. Given the results of the past two games, one would reasonably assume Thorne will be the guy under center for the Tigers moving forward. But as Thorne puts it, if a guy like Brady always felt like he had something to prove and that his job was in jeopardy, why shouldn’t he? “Why wouldn’t every player in the country have that same mindset?,” Thorne said. “So that’s my mindset every day going into practice and then obviously every game, too. You know just try to keep proving it, not only to your coach and your teammates, but to yourself too.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

si.com Auburn Running Back Jarquez Hunter One of the SEC's Best Brian Smith 2–3 minutes Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter is a top SEC performer In this story: Auburn Tigers Just how good has Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter been inside of Hugh Freeze's new offensive system this season? Here are key statistics to draw from; you be the judge. Besides long runs like the 53-yard jaunt versus Ole Miss and the 67-yard scamper versus Vanderbilt, Hunter has six total rushes of 20 or more yards on the season, plus 15 rushes of 10 or more yards. From just 108 rushing attempts, Hunter has found paydirt 7 times. That’s 6.5% of the time for Hunter scoring a touchdown. For reference, SEC touchdown leader and Ole Miss Rebel Quinshon Judkins has 12 scores from 169 carries, a 7.1% average. Hunter is close behind. Auburn relies on Hunter in the fourth quarter as well. He has 91 rushes for 437 yards, a 4.8 average, 25 first-down runs, 4 of his 20-or-more-yard rushes, and 2 touchdowns during fourth-quarter action. Hunter is 4th in rushing average among SEC running backs by averaging 5.9 yards per tote. As the 2023 season moves forward, Hunter is becoming Auburn’s clearcut bell cow running back. He has 86 rushes during SEC games for an average of 14.3 carries per contest. Further, Hunter is averaging 17 carries from the last three contests versus Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt. Hunter has 4 red zone touchdown runs. He has also scored at least one rushing touchdown in four of his last five SEC games. In total, 6 of the 7 rushing touchdowns have come against SEC competition. The Philadelphia (Miss.) Neshoba Central product is not just a runner either. Hunter has 10 receptions during the past four contests, including 3 for 54 yards versus the Rebels. No doubt about it, Hunter is one of the SEC’s best running backs.

#PMARSHONAU: Despite record, Razorbacks are indeed a 'really scary team' Rejuvenated Arkansas team awaits Auburn in Fayetteville How can the Arkansas football team be 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the SEC and be, as Auburn coach Hugh Freeze put it Monday, “a very scary team?” Here’s how: The Razorbacks lost at No. LSU 34-31 on a field goal with five seconds left. They lost 27-20 at Ole Miss after leading in the fourth quarter. They lost 24-21 at No.8 Alabama, rallying from a 24-6 deficit. They have had a couple of real stinkers, too, losing 37-31 to BYU at home in the third game of the season, starting a six-game losing streak. The worst of all was a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State at home three weeks ago. That loss led head coach Sam Pittman to can offensive coordinator Dan Enos and turn play-calling over to wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton. It paid off. After an open date, the Razorbacks went to Florida last Saturday and won 39-36 in overtime. Big and fast quarterback KJ Jefferson ran for 92 yards and passed for 255 yards. Running back Rocket Sanders, in and out of the lineup because of injuries, ran 18 times for 103 yards. Defensively, the Razorbacks have been solid for most of the season. And that brings us to some intrigue in Saturday’s game, the T-Will factor. Former All-SEC Auburn linebacker and assistant coach Travis Williams is Arkansas’ defensive coordinator. Williams loved – and probably still loves – Auburn as much as anyone. And probably, nobody wants to win Saturday’s game more than he does. It’s safe to say he will make sure his players are ready for a fight. In what seemed to be a lost season, the Razorbacks must win their last three games to qualify for a bowl. After Auburn, they play Florida International at home and close the regular season at home against Missouri. Auburn, meanwhile, has won two straight – 27-13 over Mississippi State and 31-15 at Vanderbilt. In Nashville last Saturday, the Tigers could easily have scored in the 40s or 50s had it not been for self-inflicted wounds. Two Jarquez Hunter touchdown runs were wiped out by needless penalties. Freeze said seven passes were dropped. Still, the Tigers led 31-7 in the third quarter and were never in any real danger. “I don’t know that we can have those not go our way in Fayetteville,” Freeze said. And he was probably right. Freeze took Liberty to Fayetteville last season and pulled off a 21-19 upset. A week earlier, Arkansas had visited Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn players who were there, no doubt, remember that game. It wasn’t much of a game. Arkansas led 38-13 in the fourth quarter before Auburn scored two consolation touchdowns. Arkansas won 41-27. The following day, Bryan Harsin was fired, setting in motion the chain of events that brought Freeze to Auburn. Like the Razorbacks, the Tigers are trying to get to a bowl game. They are one win away from getting that done. This game won’t be more than a blip on the national scene, but for both teams, it matters. It matters a lot.

247sports.com Keys brings hunting mentality for Auburn linebackers Jason Caldwell 6–8 minutes Auburn's Austin Keys is back and the linebackers are playing well AUBURN, Alabama—When Auburn brought in Austin Keys from Ole Miss, he was the guy that the Tigers were counting on to be one of the leaders on the defense in the first season under Hugh Freeze. A 6-2, 245-pounder, Keys has the classic middle linebacker size to go along with a strong work ethic. But an injury early in the year put Keys on the sidelines before a return for the Ole Miss game three weeks ago. Now back and settling in on the field, Keys has been a big part of things in wins over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt as the Auburn linebacker group is playing its best football of the season. In a steady rotation along with Eugene Asante, Larry Nixon and Cam Riley, Auburn’s linebacker group is continuing to progress as the Tigers get ready for a tough challenge this weekend at Arkansas. “I thought our linebackers played their best game truthfully,” Freeze said. “We had one we turned loose an over route, eyes got a little dirty with the play fake and we didn't get cut the tight end on them. Outside of that I thought they played really, really solid. And I think Austin being back, it really gives us four guys that we can rotate and they're not having to play, I mean, I was looking at the play count last night. I think Austin played the most, but it was 40 plays maybe and everybody else's 20’s and 30’s.” Having to rebuild the roster, Freeze and his staff worked through the transfer portal to try to build as much depth as possible on both sides of the ball. It has been a key on defense for the Tigers this season as they have used depth and pressure to overcome a lack of pure playmakers on the front seven. Defensive back Keionte Scott said the rotation they’ve got going now has them feeling good. “I think it was one of the things at the beginning of the year was the motto to build depth,” Scott said. “I feel like that’s something they’ve acquired. We feel confident as a defense with any of those guys on the field. I feel like we’ve gotten to the point where we’ve got our guys that we can roll it. We’ve got our strength and depth behind us.” Freeze said getting Keys back has been a huge addition for the Tigers because it has lessened the load of everyone else at the position. With four players capable of playing both spots, it has provided build in depth for a unit that doesn’t have a lot of options. “And I just think anytime you can do that on defense, particularly in the front seven, you're gonna be fresher and better to take on what you have to take on in that box when it's not having to play 50, 60 snaps,” Freeze said. “And so number one, he is one of our better players and number two, it takes the load off of him. The load is shared now, you know, among Willie, Cam and Larry and Eugene and him.” And Keys may just be the guy that brings everything together for the Tigers down the stretch. Wanting to play fast and physical, Auburn’s defense has the mindset of getting after folks and being relentless. Scott said Keys is the embodiment of that. “He just brings that hunting mentality,” Scott said. “As a defense that’s what we do and what we want to do. We want to hunt. He hunts every play. He’s very physical, clogging those holes up and getting to the linemen. When those linemen do get to him, he’s able to maneuver and have the strength to get them out of the way. That’s a key piece you’ve got to have at mike linebacker. He’s very good at communicating and seeing things and diagnosing the offense.”

al.com How healthy is Auburn heading into game at Arkansas? A look at Tuesday’s practice report Published: Nov. 07, 2023, 5:16 p.m. 2–3 minutes Hugh Freeze on Auburn's bowl chances, trip to Arkansas As Auburn’s quest for bowl eligibility stretches into this weekend with Hugh Freeze and the Tigers turning their attention to Saturday’s game at Arkansas, the hope is Auburn’s isn’t affected by many — if any — injuries. At last week’s game at Vanderbilt, Auburn center Avery Jones was the only player of note to miss action for the second week in a row. However, Jones was back in action during Tuesday afternoon’s practice and was without a non-contact jersey, but had his left leg wrapped and in a brace. Jones suffered a lower leg injury against Ole Miss on Oct. 21. During Monday’s press conference, Freeze wasn’t yet sure what Jones’ availability for Saturday’s game at Arkansas might be, but regardless said Connor Lew would still get reps against the Razorbacks. “I don’t think (Jones) being out the last three weeks, particularly when it’s a lower leg injury, that he’s going to be ready to go out there and play 60-70 snaps,” Freeze said of Jones. “So if he is available, it still will be a shared responsibility here.” Lew — a true freshman and former 4-star prospect — has since replaced Jones as Auburn’s starting center and has done well enough to earn the SEC’s freshman of the week honor after his performance against Mississippi State. Meanwhile, on the defense’s side of the field, junior linebacker Eugene Asante still wore a yellow, non-contact jersey — just as he did last Tuesday as the Tigers prepared for the Commodores. Asante’s injury, which is undisclosed, didn’t stop him from seeing the field against Vanderbilt on Saturday, when Asante went on to tally five tackles and one tackle for a loss. His status for Saturday’s game vs. Arkansas is unclear. Auburn is set to travel to Arkansas Saturday for a 3 p.m. kickoff from Razorback Stadium.

247sports.com Holden Geriner moves up to No 2 QB in Auburn practice Nathan King 7–9 minutes “I think Holden had one heck of a week last week,” Freeze said. “And he can really spin it, and he's probably one that — I think he's got a bright future.” Auburn's quarterback depth chart may have been shuffled. In the wake of heavy praise for third-string quarterback Holden Geriner from Hugh Freeze, the redshirt freshman took all the second-team reps during the 25-minute media viewing window at Auburn's Tuesday practice. For five different throwing drills — rollout passes, two sets of out routes, slants and deep posts — the clear order of quarterbacks was Payton Thorne, Geriner then Robby Ashford. Geriner also had an increased role last week ahead of Auburn's trip to Vanderbilt. “He got a good amount of reps more than usual this week, and I thought he did a good job with that,” Thorne said Monday. “He's done a good job being consistent all year.” Unprompted on Monday, Freeze praised the progression of the former 4-star recruit. “I think Holden had one heck of a week last week,” Freeze said. “And he can really spin it, and he's probably one that — I think he's got a bright future.” Auburn's 31-15 win at Vanderbilt was the only game this season in which Ashford did not play. Freeze said Monday that had more to do with what Thorne was doing well within the offense, and not what Ashford had been doing poorly. “I believe Payton's skillsets are the most prepared for what we're doing,” Freeze said. “It's not a negative towards anybody else, I think he's — you talk about playing with tempo, setting our protections, throwing accuracy with footballs and understanding coverages, I think that he's the farthest along in that.” Auburn heads to Arkansas on Saturday (3 p.m. CST, SEC Network), and it looks as though the Tigers would turn to Geriner if Thorne went down. “He comes in, he watches the film with me and the coaches,” Thorne said of Geriner. “He's there and he's present and he is doing his best to learn — and he's hungry to learn more. And so that's a good thing and he's, he's been real cool to me. And I hope that I’m going to help him out along the way, too.”

si.com Payton Thorne on being Auburn's only QB: 'I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't feel better' Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes Auburn is looking for its third-straight win this week. What did quarterback Payton Thorne have to say heading into the game? Payton Thorne has regained full control of the starting job. The junior from Naperville, Ill. transferred to Auburn from Michigan State this offseason and won the starting job in August. Thorne had to overcome some adversity this season but appears to have figured things out. He has gone 117-183 for 1,269 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this season. Thorne threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown against Vanderbilt. He acknowledged what happened on the play and how he will avoid making similar mistakes. "I just didn't see him," Thorne said. "I should have looked out there pre-snap, I knew what the coverage was pre-snap but I was looking more down the middle of the field." Things have not gone according to plan at times this season, but the Tigers seem to have more confidence now. Thorne elaborated on how beneficial confidence can be for a team. "I think the confidence has continued to rise," Thorne said. "That comes from playing well in the field. We're able to put more points on the board and we're able to convert more on third-down and execute our game plan better. That's definitely going to boost our confidence." Thorne talked about what it has been like to be the main guy at quarterback once again. "I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't feel better," Thorne said. "It's something I'm used to. For the last couple years, that's how it was for me." Thorne's level of play will go a long way in determining how successful Auburn ends up being this season.

247sports.com Top247 OL DeAndre Carter reaffirms Auburn commitment Christian Clemente 6–8 minutes Carter visited Texas earlier this fall but will be back in Auburn for the Iron Bowl. Texas has made things interesting over the past couple of months, but DeAndre Carter reassured Auburn fans of his commitment on Twitter/X on Tuesday. He also confirmed his plans to return to the Plains for the Iron Bowl at the end of the month, something that's been expected for a while now. "Excited to be headed to the Iron Bowl!!!" Carter tweeted. "Staying home!!! 100% committed to Auburn!!!" Pledging to Auburn during a visit for Big Cat Weekend and after an official visit to Auburn in June, Carter went public with his decision after the season opener on Sept. 3. “With Auburn, I have great relationship with the coaching staff and they have done a really good job connecting with me and my family," Carter said. "I also like how they’re turning the program around and it would be fun to be a part of something like that.” But with an already planned official visit to Texas on the weekend of Sept. 30, the Mater Dei (Calif.) product indeed visited the Longhorns. Auburn was aware of the visit, but with his 5-star teammate committing to Texas shortly before the visit, Texas picked up steam and left him mulling his decision. “I’m just going to play it by ear and when I know, I’ll know,” Carter told 247Sports' Greg Biggins. “It’s a huge decision and I’m not going to rush anything. I know I have time so I’m just going to make the decision when I’m 100% confident in it, but I’m not there right now.” Now, it appears he is there and is locked in with Auburn. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds, Carter is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 123 player, No. 3 interior offensive lineman and No. 11 player from California. Carter is currently the lone offensive line commit for Auburn in the 2024 cycle, which ranks No. 17 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

i believe walker is coming around as well? i think ron is getting pretty much all he can get out of our D. it appears we will have a winning record this year. is it the first since terry?

thanx salty! i am ready for some rain.i lived in old houses some with tin roofs and used to love hearing the rain against them. it soothes the savage beast in me so to speak...be well

theplainsman.com Auburn to face Baylor to tip off basketball season 4–5 minutes The Auburn Tigers are set to travel to Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to officially get their 2023-24 basketball season underway in a matchup against Baylor after an exhibition match against Auburn-Montgomery. After beating Auburn-Montgomery 102-66 on Wednesday night, the Tigers will make the trip to South Dakota to start their official season and see where they stand against Baylor University, whose basketball team is ranked 20th in the nation among Division I schools. Baylor University also played an exhibition game in a closed-door scrimmage in Phoenix when it took on No. 11 Gonzaga. The Baylor University Bears suffered an 81-78 loss where they were behind for most of the game and only managed to hold a lead for three minutes. This game will mark the seventh time that these two teams face off against each other with Baylor dominating this series, winning five and losing two. The last time Auburn played Baylor was in January 2021 when they lost by a score of 84-72. The Auburn Tigers will want to break an unwanted streak of three losses in a row against the Bears. The Tigers will want to build off their successful exhibition game and gain some momentum to kickstart their season. Despite Auburn’s struggles from 3-point range, going 5-for-25, junior guard Denver Jones managed to tally 18 points on the night and went 4-for-8 on 3-pointers, garnering both the most points and 3-pointers. Another consistent scorer of the night was junior Chaney Johnson, who went 6-for-10 on field goals and 2-for-7 on free throws – mustering up a total of 14 points for the team. Although the Tigers came out on top in their exhibition game, they fell behind in the first half of the game, trailing 16-15 at one point before the Tigers managed to find a rhythm to go on a 34-13 run. This must be something Auburn looks to fix against a top opponent in Baylor, where they cannot afford to start the game off slowly without dreading the consequences. The Baylor Bears will look to turn their fortunes around from their scrimmage against Gonzaga and come out with a win against Auburn. Baylor hasn’t suffered a loss in their opening game since the 2018-19 season when it lost to Texas Southern. The Bears will want to gain some positives after their defeat to Gonzaga, which shouldn’t be seen as a terrible loss considering Gonzaga is ranked No. 11 in the nation. Junior guard Jayden Nunn led the Bears in points during the game, racking up 16. He went 5-for-10 in field goals and 1-for-3 in 3-pointers, also leading the Bears in both categories. While Baylor will want to search for positives to take away from the loss, it'll also need to focus on a negative, its shooting percentage. The Bears only managed to shoot 38% from the field throughout the whole game. The Auburn Tigers tip off their season when they take on the Baylor Bears on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. CST on ESPN. Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman. Hector Hernandez | Sports Writer Hector Hernandez is a freshman from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in building science. He joined The Plainsman in fall 2023. Share and discuss “Auburn to face Baylor to tip off basketball season ” on social media.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn vs. Baylor: Stream, injury report, broadcast info for Tuesday's game Taylor Jones 5–6 minutes The Auburn Tigers play No. 17 Baylor on Tuesday at Sanford Pavilion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place. The Auburn Tigers open the 2023-24 slate on Tuesday night and will have a tough challenge by facing the No. 17 Bears on a neutral court. Both teams finished the season by exiting the second round of the NCAA Tournament to teams who ultimately fell in the Sweet 16, Houston for Auburn, and Creighton for Baylor. Baylor will provide a solid test for Auburn, as they have won a National Championship within the last three seasons. Baylor head coach Scott Drew was the head coach during the 2020-21 season which ended with a 28-2 record for the Bears. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl understands that winning the glass battle will be key in defeating Baylor. “It’ll be hard to duplicate Baylor’s athleticism. Historically, they’re one of the top 20 rebounding teams in the country and top 10 scoring teams in the country. They’ll fly to the boards. Our greatest challenge will be keeping them off the boards. Our half-court offensive execution has been pretty good for early in the season. We’ve shot the ball well. The quality of the opponent will step up in a big way.” Auburn will be breaking in a relatively new starting lineup this season, as fixtures such as Wendell Green Jr. and Allen Flanigan are no longer on the roster. Johni Broome and Chris Moore headline the returning starters this season, while transfers such as Chaney Johnson and Denver Jones step up to fill new starting roles. Tuesday’s game will feature two injuries of note: Johni Broome and Aden Holloway. Broome, who injured his shoulder in last Wednesday’s exhibition with Auburn Montgomery. Holloway, Auburn’s top 2023 signee and projected starting point guard heading into the season, injured his ankle in Auburn’s secret scrimmage with Furman. Pearl says that he feels confident that both players will be cleared to play on Tuesday night. Below, you will find everything you need to know ahead of Auburn’s season-opener vs. No. 17 Baylor including a broadcast guide, an injury report, and projected starting lineups. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Here’s when you should tune in to see the game: Date: Tuesday, Nov. 7 Time: 8 p.m. CT TV Channel: ESPN (Roxy Bernstein, Fran Fraschilla) Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here) The Montgomery Advertiser The Auburn Sports Network will have live coverage of Tuesday’s game at Sanford Pavilion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Pregame coverage with Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will begin at 7:30 p.m. CT. Find your local Auburn Sports Network affiliate below. Sirius/XM Ch. 137/190 Abbeville 98.7 FM Albany, Georgia 102.9 FM Alexander City 97.5 FM Andalusia 93.7 FM Atlanta, Georgia 1010 AM Auburn 94.3 FM Birmingham 100.5 FM Centre 100.5 FM Centre 990 AM Columbus, Georgia 540 AM Cullman 92.1 FM Cullman 98.3 FM Demopolis 106.5 FM Dothan 102.5 FM Evergreen 101.1 FM Flomaton 105.1 FM Florence 94.9 FM Foley 92.5 FM Foley 1310 AM Fort Payne 100.9 FM Fort Payne 1250 AM Gadsden 1350 AM Greenville 94.3 FM Hackleburg 95.5 FM Huntsville 100.3 FM Jasper 88.5 FM LaGrange, Georgia 102.3 FM Mobile 106.5 FM Montgomery 92.3 FM Moulton 97.9 FM Ocean Springs, Mississippi 106.5 FM Oxford 92.7 FM Panama City, Florida 104.3 FM Pensacola, Florida 105.1 FM Roanoke 102.3 FM Scottsboro 1050 AM Selma 1490 AM Sylacauga 100.3 FM Sylacauga 1290 AM Thomasville 95.5 FM Troy 970 AM Tuscaloosa 100.5 FM Vernon 100.7 FM Vernon 1380 AM Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers Pos. Name Class PPG RPG APG G Tre Donaldson Fr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 G Denver Jones Jr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 G Chaney Johnson Jr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 F Chris Moore Sr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 C Johni Broome Jr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports Pos. Name Class PPG RPG APG G RayJ Dennis Sr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 G Ja’Kobe Walter Fr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 G Langston Love So. 0.0 0.0 0.0 F Jalen Bridges Sr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 C Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua Sr. 0.0 0.0 0.0 Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports C Johni Broome Shoulder Game time decision G Aden Holloway Ankle Game time decision © Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK G Ja’Kobe Walter Nose Game time decision F Yanis Ndjonga Knee Out for the season The Montgomery Advertiser C Johni Broome G Denver Jones G Aden Holloway Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports G RayJ Dennis G Langston Love F Jalen Bridges Follow all your favorite Alabama teams at Auburn Wire and Roll Tide Wire!

al.com Everything Bruce Pearl said ahead of Auburn basketball’s season-opener vs. No. 20 Baylor Updated: Nov. 06, 2023, 3:48 p.m.|Published: Nov. 06, 2023, 12:15 p.m. 6–7 minutes Bruce Pearl previews Auburn's 2023-24 season; Growing basketball in a football state Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers’ men’s basketball team aren’t wasting anytime. Pearl will open his 10th season on The Plains on Tuesday night with a postseason-caliber matchup with the 20th-ranked Baylor Bears in a neutral site from Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. “We’re excited about getting the season started,” Pearl said Monday morning, minutes before he boarded the team plane to head northwest. “Auburn is the only team in the SEC that will open up against a top 25 opponent. And we’re going to try to make history tomorrow night as we’ve never beaten a top 25 team in an opener.” Pearl says he’s heard the questions about why the Tigers are even taking part in an atypical season-opener. “It’s real simple,” Pearl said. “Just to try to stay relevant in the world of college basketball, which is harder and harder to do now.” Here’s everything Pearl said Monday ahead of Auburn’s season-opener against No. 20 Baylor: Opening statement: “Baylor is a preseason top-20 team. We’re not. Baylor has three guys that have been selected to various forms of like all-Big 12 stuff, and we have one in Johni Broome. Ja’Kobe Walter is the preseason freshman of the year. Really good team, really well coached. Scott Drew and the job he’s done at Baylor arguably is as good a job as has been done in college basketball considering what he inherited and where they’re at right now. I think in 16 years, I think he’s been to 11 tournaments. They’ve been really good, really consistent. The biggest challenge right now is we have no tape on them. We got no eyes on them from the standpoint of they had two private exhibitions and had agreements not to exchange film. We’re basically basing what we saw off of what they’ve done historically. So that will be an interesting challenge early in that game to see how they’re playing differently. We’re excited about getting started.” On the availability of Aden Holloway (ankle) and Johni Broome (shoulder), who both suffered injuries in the preseason: “Yep. I think both Aden and Johni will be able to pay tomorrow.” On areas where Auburn has improved this offseason and applying those vs. Baylor: “Again, it’ll be really hard to duplicate Baylor’s athleticism. They are historically one of the top 20 rebounding teams in the country, one of the top 10 offensive rebounding teams in the country. They will fly to the boards, they’re athletic, they’re big, they’re physical. Our greatest challenge will be keeping them off the boards. I think from our standpoint, I’d say our halfcourt offensive execution has been pretty good for early in the season. We’ve shot the ball pretty well. Now, the quality of opponent is about to step up in a huge way. Then our challenge will continue to be defense and rebounding, and we’ll kind of see what that looks like. That’s what I would anticipate our two biggest challenges being.” On what he’s hoping to learn about his team, win, lose or draw vs. Baylor: “That’s a great point, and it’s one of the things I keep talking to our team about — we’re going to get exposed. I would have loved to have gotten more exposed in a couple of our preseason opportunities. What I mean by exposed is: What aren’t we very good at? What are we going to struggle with? My anticipation would be physicality, rebounding, some other things I don’t want to give Baylor too much of an advanced scout. But where do we go from here? In other words, great opportunity to play a team in the Top 25. We’re not (in the Top 25), and so, can we get ourselves in there with a win? That’d be a tremendous way to start the season. We’ve got so many quality opponents in the preseason that a week from now, we play Notre Dame in New York, in Brooklyn. It’s here. And so, how quickly can we adjust? I told the guys I wanted them — I really wanted them — to remain positive with each other, because we have so much teaching to do with so many new guys. Again, we’ve got to kind of throw it out there and know they’re going to be in the heat of battle and just see how they react. Hey, I hope it brings out the best in them. For some, there will be challenges in knowing what we do and why we do it. And late-game situations; we could have some late-game, close-game situations, I hope, either offensively or defensively. How do we handle those situations? How are we able to execute? That’s what I’ve talked to the guys about, and I think they’re prepared for that. And again, I want them to stay really positive with each other, because I’ll be on their asses enough for everybody.” On there being so many new faces on the roster: “They get along. They’ve done a good job pushing each other, done a good job teaching each other, and it’s been one of the harder working teams I’ve had. It’s been a team that’s gotten along so well, but we’ve had no adversity yet. Just haven’t, so obviously (we) don’t really know. I think they — I definitely think they’re prepared. We’ve got good leaders in the locker room. We’ve got guys who have been there and done that. They’ve just not played together much. Let’s just say they’ve played two games together so far. Now Baylor’s got a lot of new guys, too. They’ve got some core guys back, like we do, but they’ve got new pieces and they’ve got good new pieces. So I think both teams are going to learn a lot.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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al.com New Mexico State-Auburn football kickoff time, TV information released Published: Nov. 06, 2023, 12:01 p.m. ~2 minutes Auburn players thank fans for showing up in Nashville; celebrate win over Vanderbilt When the Auburn Tigers (5-4, 2-4 SEC) return home to Jordan-Hare Stadium to put a bookend on their two-game road stretch, it’ll be in a game against the New Mexico State Aggies (7-3, 5-1 CUSA) on Nov. 18. And that game will kickoff at 3 p.m. and be televised on SEC Network, the SEC announced Monday morning. The Tigers and Aggies have met three times in a sporadic history that’s featured matchups in 1993, 2007 and 2012. All three of those matchups have been in Jordan-Hare Stadium with Auburn winning each of them handedly. Auburn has averaged more than 50 points per game against New Mexico State, while the Tigers have held the Aggies to an average of less than two touchdowns per game. When the Aggies march into Jordan-Hare Stadium, they’ll be doing so after a visit to Western Kentucky, where they’ll see the Hilltoppers for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff. Meanwhile, the Tigers will be coming off their second consecutive road game — this time against the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

l.com Why is Auburn playing in South Dakota? It’s the start of a brutal non-conference slate. Published: Nov. 07, 2023, 7:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes Bruce Pearl thinks Auburn's 2023 football team shares similarities with his 2014-15 basketball team Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl will be the first to note Auburn’s place atop the SEC with the league’s most wins over the last six seasons. It’s not the same SEC that for decades was dominated by Kentucky. The rest of the league caught up. Auburn caught up sooner than most, and now much of the rest of the league is on the same title-contending playing field. So Pearl believes he has to find ways to keep Auburn sticking out in a league with so much depth and talent. That means putting his team in front of a team television camera. It means finding difficult, but marquee non-conference games — even if that means traveling to South Dakota. “People ask me why the game, why’d you take the game, why go out to South Dakota,” Pearl said Monday. “It’s real simple, just to try to stay relevant in the world of college basketball, which is harder and harder to do now.” And the non-conference schedule Auburn created is one of the most difficult in the nation. It begins immediately. To open the season Auburn goes to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to play No. 20 Baylor. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. Tuesday and will be broadcast on ESPN. “It’s to stay relevant,” Pearl said at SEC Basketball Tip Off in Birmingham. “It’s to tell my kids a message, I believe in you. I don’t care who we’re playing. I don’t care. I believe in you. You came here to try to win a championship. You came here to get to a Final Four. If I don’t schedule hard, then obviously I’m concerned we’re not good enough. And we ain’t afraid.” Scheduling duties fall on Auburn assistant coach Mike Burgomaster. His title now includes a listing as Auburn’s offensive coordinator, but doesn’t quite include his role as the master of scheduling. He put together a non-conference schedule that included the Baylor game, a trip to New York to play Notre Dame and either Oklahoma State or St. Bonaventure, a trip to Atlanta to play Indiana, as well as hosting USC and Virginia Tech. Burgomaster also included difficult mid-major opponents including a trip to Huntsville to play UNC-Asheville and going to play a true road game at Appalachian State. Auburn will host Chattanooga and Penn which have each made the NCAA Tournament in the last five years. “Of course I would love to play these schools,” forward Jaylin Williams said. “The competition is going to be great. I’m not familiar with who’s on the teams. But I’m gonna know when we do scouting reports. I know they’re highly ranked and very talented through their history. It’s going to be a great time.” Pearl believes games like these are going to teach him about his team. And frankly Pearl thinks these games may not always show the best about Auburn, but instead where his team still has to grow. The preseason games against Furman and Auburn-Montgomery didn’t test Pearl’s team as much as he’d like. And that’s including the fact that Pearl wasn’t happy with how his team played in the exhibition win on Nov. 1 against AUM. “We’re going to get exposed,” Pearl said of opening against Baylor. “What I mean by exposed is: What aren’t we very good at? What are we going to struggle with? My anticipation would be physicality, rebounding, some other things I don’t want to give Baylor too much of an advanced scout. But where do we go from here?” Where Auburn goes will be taking where it got exposed and attempting to figure it out against more quality opponents. Though Auburn forward Johni Broome doesn’t really care who Auburn plays. He’s just excited to play a different team. He’ll be facing a variety of styles of teams this year with Baylor from the Big 12, Indiana from the Big 10, USC from the Pac-12 and multiple ACC teams. Part of Broome’s thought hinges on how good the SEC is projected to be this year. Auburn’s schedule will certainly help prepare it for a potential trip to the NCAA Tournament, but SEC teams no longer need such a difficult non-conference schedule to boost their resumes because the conference itself is deep. “It’ll be fun to play against the other conferences,” Broome said. “But the good thing about the SEC is that playing in this league prepares you for the other conferences. I feel like the SEC has a very good variety of teams. I feel like we’re one of the top conferences — or the top conference. Playing against Baylor, the ACC, teams like that, I feel like we’re prepared for them.” Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

one critique of Geriner is he is really really slow. i have no idea if it is true but it was mentioned by someone on the board recently.